Heirloom Fruit

Heirloom Fruit. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Ray Schmitten with Schmitten Orchards in Cashmere, Washington grows heirloom pears as do most pear producers in the northwest. Heirloom pears have not changed much since they were first introduced and in some cases that can be several hundred years.

SCHMITTEN: I think we’ve got to remind our marketers that, that our product is an heirloom product. It doesn’t produce per acre as much as apples and we should be demanding more in the marketplace for that box of pears.

He says they sent out a survey a few years ago to producers.

SCHMITTEN: And you growers said hey, we think the most important thing you can do is increase consumption of pears. That’s going to make us the most money. The next thing you can do is increase our production efficiencies. Let us be able to grow a little smaller tree, get some higher production which will also help us with our pest control

Post harvest issues at the warehouse level are also issues to be dealt with according to Schmitten.

SCHMITTEN: And that’s chronic pest issues that come back and cycle - every time we turn around we’re fighting a new battle with psylla or mites.

It will be interesting to see how things once again shape up in 2013 as it won’t be long before producers are back in the orchards getting ready from another pear crop in the northwest.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.